Just A Kiss Goodnight

Chapter Fifty-Five

"What the fuck  Tom! If this is true, so help me I'll tie you down naked in the desert for the buzzards to pick at your testicles! I'll disembowel you and let them -"

Luke's yelling could be heard from my side of the bed; I could only imagine how loud it was for Tom with the phone right up against his ear. I peered sleepily at the bedside clock. "It's four thirty in the morning." I turned over and snuggled against him. "What's happened?"

"I don't know darling, I can't get a word in edgeways to find out. Luke, for fuck's sake – sorry darling – for Pete's sake, calm down and tell me what the hell you're talking about."

"Calm down! How am I supposed to calm down when my best client – no, scratch that, you're not  my best client any more – is running around cheating on his pregnant wife with his make-up artist?" He was yelling even louder.

"What?" Tom and I were both wide-awake now; we looked at each other and said, "Cindy!" The call went on speakerphone.

"Yes, Cindy," Luke went on, "Cindy de la Rue, who in every single newspaper I read this morning claims she has been having a torrid affair with you right under Kate's nose!"

"I guess my warning didn't work after all." My contribution to the conversation only served to set Luke off again.

"What?  Will you two tell me what the fuck is going on or so help me –"

"You tell him love," I kissed Tom briefly, "I need to pee." I could hear him explaining all about the Cindy situation while I performed my ablutions; when I got back into bed I curled up against his side once more and he put his phone on his chest so we could both hear and speak.

"Why the hell is this the first I'm hearing of this?" Luke sounded both angry and resigned. "You should have come to me straight away."

"That's my fault Luke, I'm sorry, I thought I could handle her." That wasn't completely honest – I didn't really feel sorry about confronting her - but I felt I should at least try to appease Luke, we would need him on our side.

"No darling, it's my fault. I considered it a private matter, but I should have remembered that being in the public eye often means there's no such thing as private." I knew that aspect of his celebrity status saddened Tom, as much as he loved and was grateful for his fans, and gave him a sympathetic squeeze, getting a quick kiss in return.

Luke sounded slightly mollified. "You can argue over whose fault it is later, right now we need to deal with this. It's going to do a lot of damage, particularly coming right after my press release the other day and the happy family shots of you two at the beach. Kate, I like your haircut, by the way."

"Thanks." My scalp tingled as Tom's fingers ran through my tousled short curls and I pressed a kiss to his neck.

"Now that the paps have found you, you can expect them to be camped outside, so it's best you don't leave the house until I get there."

"What? It's a ten hour flight!" I had errands to run.

"I'm in Phoenix; I'll be there in just over an hour."

"I'm due on set at seven Luke."

"I'll deal with that when I get to your place. Hang tight you two and for god's sake, don't do anything or talk to anyone."

He hung up and I turned to Tom. "I'm so sorry sweetheart, this is all my fault. If I hadn't spoken to her yesterday –"

He stopped my apology with a kiss. "We're in this together, remember?"

"I know, but if it affects your career I'll never forgive myself."

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out." I couldn't help but worry, no matter what he said.